Oberammergau Passion Play

Nestled in a lush valley at the edge of the Bavarian Alps and close to the border with Austria, the picturesque village of Oberammergau is as sleepy as they come. Once-a-decade, however, the peaceful community in southern Germany springs into life and people from far and wide descend upon the region for a chance to see the world-famous Oberammergau Passion Play.

Dating back almost 400 years, the unique and prestigious play came about following a vow made in 1633 when the village of Oberammergau was in the terrifying grip of the Great Plague. If their village was spared, the villagers promised to re-enact the Passion of the Christ every 10 years. Following the vow, the first play was performed by the residents a year later, in 1634 and they have continued to do so every 10 years as an expression of gratitude for their salvation.

Still as powerful and poignant now as it was back then, the village is making preparations for the 42nd performance in 2020. The production of the dramatic Passion Play has come on a long way over the years, with almost half the population of Oberammergau now having a role to play; that’s over 2,000 residents. The story depicts the suffering endured by Jesus of Nazareth in his final days, from his arrival into Jerusalem to his death on the cross and his resurrection from the tomb. Lasting five hours in total, the play holds a two-hour interval half way through for audience members to enjoy a memorable Passion Play dinner.

In 2020, an estimated 500,000 people are expected to visit Oberammergau to watch history taking place and you could be one of them. Don’t miss out on this once-a-decade opportunity to see one of the most important plays in the world and explore the breath-taking Austrian Alps as you go.